Two women construction workers smiling and holding hands inside a building under construction, with one woman using a power drill.

About Us

At NEW, we are privileged to empower girls, women, and those who identify as women as they work to build a better future and disprove stereotypes. Together, we are changing the face of the building and construction industry. In addition, NEW helps create a skilled workforce vital to economic development in New York City and New York State and serves as a model and a resource for other programs across the country.

Since 1978, NEW has provided a pathway to jobs in critical infrastructure fields that provide good pay, benefits, and safety protections. Through its core, nationally known pre-apprenticeship training program, along with job placement and wrap-around services, such as housing and childcare referrals and support, job interview preparation, and access to tools and equipment, NEW lowers barriers to a male-dominated industry and supports women throughout their trades journey.

NEW trains approximately 350 students annually and connects them with employers and union partners, while also advocating for a diverse workforce, the prevention of gender-based violence and harassment, and the prioritization of health and safety in the workplace. Over its nearly five-decade history, NEW has impacted thousands of lives and built a strong community of tradeswomen that support each other and forge paths for others to follow.

Staff

Logo with the word 'NEW' inside a blue magnifying glass, and text that reads 'Nontraditional for Women' next to a blue hammer.

Candace Anderson
Education & Equity Coordinator

Smiling woman with long black hair, wearing a black top, sitting in a workshop with wood and tools in the background.

Shivane Chandool
Development & Communications Manager

A smiling man with short light brown hair wearing a light-colored, striped button-up shirt, with a woodworking workshop in the background.

Christopher Brossman
Partnership & Outreach Coordinator

A smiling woman with curly hair, glasses, and gold hoop earrings, wearing a white collared shirt and a cream vest, stands in front of a wooden wall with tools hanging.

Jasmelyn Cuello
Training Coordinator

A smiling woman with black hair, glasses, and pearl earrings in a workshop, surrounded by woodworking tools and equipment.

Michiko Grasso
Vice President of External Affairs

A woman with braided hair, wearing a headband, earrings, a necklace, and a striped shirt, standing with arms crossed in a woodworking shop with tools on the wall behind her.

Kelley Burke
Managing Director of Operations

Tee Connell
Administrative Assistant for Programs

A woman smiling and standing with arms crossed in a woodworking workshop with tools on the wall behind her.

Kesher Graham
Administrative Assistant for Programs

A woman with shoulder-length dark hair and earrings, wearing a patterned shirt and pink scarf, standing in a wooden workshop with tools hanging on the wall.

Julie Chan
Director of Institutional Giving

Logo with a blue circle and a blue hammer, text 'NEW' in bold black, and words 'Nontradicitonal for Women'.

Jordhan Kerridge
Director of Programs, Contracts, and CRM

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Stephanie Lema
Training Coordinator

A woman with short, curly hair, wearing earrings and a purple sleeveless top, smiling in front of a wooden wall with tools hanging on it.

Cindi Ditren
Finance Director

Woman with dreadlocks wearing an olive green sleeveless top, standing in a woodworking workshop surrounded by tools and equipment.

Samantha O’Brien
Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships

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Silvia Natal
Training Coordinator

Smiling woman with short hair wearing a yellow blazer in a woodworking or carpentry workshop.

Leah Rambo
President

Logo with the word 'NEW' inside a magnifying glass and a hammer, with the text 'Nontraditional for Women' to the right.

Kimberly Nichols
Director of Training

Woman with long curly dark hair smiling with arms crossed in a woodworking shop.

Lauren Remy
Receptionist

Logo with a blue magnifying glass and a hammer, and the text "NEW Nontradic for Women".

Jibreel Scott
Retention Coordinator

A woman with black hair, wearing earrings and a sleeveless white and black striped top, standing in a workshop with tools on a wooden wall behind her.

Jennifer Sosa
Executive Assistant

A middle-aged man with brown hair and a watch, standing with arms crossed in a woodworking shop, smiling slightly. The background includes various tools hanging on a wooden wall, such as saws, a circular saw, and a poster that says "BEWARE! Do Not Use".

Ken Thompson
Managing Director of Finance

A woman with short curly red hair, smiling, in a workshop with tools hanging on the wall behind her.

Linda Young
Director of Social Services

Board of Directors

CO-CHAIRS

Catherine Moss | L&L Painting Company, Inc.

Christopher Shaw | LF Driscoll Healthcare

TREASURER

Anthony Mann | E-J Electric Installation Co.

SECRETARY

Tamara Rivera

MEMBERS

Ellen Albert

Anne Clark | Vladeck, Raskin & Clark, P.C.

Elizabeth Crowley | Building Trades Employers’ Association (BTEA)

Ralph Esposito | Suffolk Construction

Maxine Finkelstein | Interactive Elements

Julie Geden | Zubatkin, a Cumming Group Company

Maureen Henegan

Nicola Heryet | Avison Young

Joseph A. Ienuso | New York Presbyterian

Patricia Lancaster | The Lancaster Group

Leonard Legotte | International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local 1

Aislinn McGuire | Kauff McGuire & Margolis LLP

Cheryl McKissack Daniel | McKissack & McKissack 

Joanne Minieri

Kathy O'Sullivan | Ernst & Young

Ann Rolland

Steve Sommer | Consigli Construction Co., Inc.

Becky Tung | Haugland Group

Elizabeth Velez | The Velez Organization

Wendy Webb | Construction & General Building Laborers’ Local 79

Ambassador Council

CO-CHAIRS

Laura Bush | Consigli Construction Co., Inc.

Raquel Diaz | Gilbane Building Company

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Christine Barshtak | Finaly GC

Sarah Berman | The Berman Group, Inc.

Sheri Best | Eden Energy Solutions

Antonina Caruso | JRM Construction Management

Susan Clamage | JPMorgan Chase

Raffaela Dunne | Consigli Construction Co., Inc.

Barbara Durante | Grassi

Liana Grandinetti | Hunter Roberts Construction Group

Meredith Lovejoy | Cumming Group

Nayada Lugji | Consigli Construction Co., Inc.

Mary Mahany | Shawmut

Jessica Moreno | White Strand Development, LLC

Kim Marie Neuscheler | Turner Construction Company

Katie Nilsen | E-J Electric Installation Co.

Lizzie Olson | The Frick

Marilyn C. Ordonez | Envoie Projects

Kasey Pace | KPP Consulting Corp.

Sonia Podkameni-Brown | Turner Construction Company 

Gabriela Puno | Structure Tone

Stephanie Rudman | Talisen Construction Corporation

Nelly Vasquez | Turner Construction Company

 
A woman construction worker wearing a white safety helmet, safety glasses, a brown vest, an orange long-sleeve shirt, gloves, and a headband, is looking at a tablet in a construction site.
A young woman wearing a construction helmet and black bandana with earrings, leaning on a red ladder with a chain-link fence background.
A woman in safety gear, including a helmet and glasses, kneeling on the floor, working with a laser measuring tool on a construction site.
Four people on a city sidewalk carrying various objects, including a ladder, a pipe, and a bucket, walking past buildings with brick and painted exteriors.
A young woman wearing a red safety helmet, safety glasses, gray hoodie, and orange safety vest, smiling while holding a power saw indoors.
A smiling woman construction worker wearing a white safety helmet, orange safety vest, black shirt, glasses, and gloves while holding a rope on a construction site with tall buildings in the background.